A Geelong man has been fined $1,110 and still faces a clean up after failing to comply with EPA's instructions over a pile of industrial waste at Sunshine.
EPA Victoria officers found the site on Third Avenue, Sunshine, scattered with construction and demolition waste consisting of broken tiles, plastics, metals, timber, concrete, glass, bricks, polystyrene and materials containing asbestos.
EPA Western Metropolitan Regional Manager Stephen Lansdell says the first priority was to make sure the clean-up was conducted properly.
"We issued the man with an Environmental Action Notice (EAN) requiring him to engage a specialist contractor to assess the site and produce a plan for the safe removal of any waste," Mr Lansdell said.
"With asbestos, it must be removed completely, then transported for disposal under strict conditions for the safety of the community and the environment," he said.
"The EAN gave the man a clear deadline for having the plan prepared and reporting it to EPA, but he failed to comply."
The fine is not the end of the story; EPA still requires the man to have the plan prepared and eventually have the waste safely removed for proper disposal.
"A regulatory notice from EPA is not just something you ignore. They come with clear instructions and a deadline, and are backed by fines or other sanctions," Mr Lansdell said.
"They are there to protect the environment and people's health, and EPA will not hesitate to enforce them," he said.
Under the Environment Protection Act 2017 and the Infringements Act 2006, the man has the right to have the infringement notice reviewed or be considered by a court.
Members of the public can report pollution by calling EPA's 24-hour hotline on 1300 372 842 or providing details online at epa.vic.gov.au/report-pollution/reporting-pollution
